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One Bowl Lemon Cake (No eggs, no butter, no milk)
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One Bowl Lemon Cake (No eggs, no butter, no milk)

Enjoy the sweet tangy deliciousness with my One Bowl Lemon Cake. This budget-friendly bake is made without eggs, oil, or milk to create a fluffy, soft textured lemon cake.
Course cake / dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 10 -12 slices

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

FOR THE CAKE

  • 3 cups all-purpose or cake flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar See note 1
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda/bicarbonate of soda See note 2
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest See note 3
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup oil See note 4

FOR THE GLAZE (OPTIONAL) SEE NOTE 5

  • 1 cup powdered (icing) sugar sifted
  • 2 ½ Tablespoons hot water or warm milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

MAKE THE CAKE

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C
  • Grease and line a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking pan.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and lemon zest
  • Stir the vinegar into the water.
  • Add the vinegar and water combination, oil and vanilla extract into the flour mixture.
  • Whisk or beat on low speed with a handheld beater until the batter is smooth.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  • Bake for between 30 and 35 minutes. To test the cakes for doneness, insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
  • Turn the cake out onto a cooling rack two minutes after baking. Leaving it in the hot pan for too long will cause the middle of the cake to become soggy and dense. Cool completely before frosting.

MAKE THE GLAZE (Optional)

  • To make the glaze, combine boiling water or warm milk, vanilla extract and powdered sugar.
  • Use a whisk or fork to mix and form a thick glaze
  • If you prefer a thicker glaze then add ¼ cup more powdered sugar at a time and mix to your preferred consistency. If you prefer the glaze thinner, then add a teaspoon of water/milk at a time and mix to your desired consistency.
  • Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and use a spatula to spread evenly.
  • Allow the glaze to dry before cutting.

Video

Notes

  1. Either white granulated sugar or castor sugar is used in this recipe. I prefer castor sugar as it has a fine texture which dissolves faster in the batter. This ensures that overmixing is avoided.
  2. This acts as a leavening agent so ensure that the baking soda is fresh and not past the expiry date. To test for freshness, simply drop a little baking soda into a teaspoon of vinegar. If it fizzes and bubbles immediately, then you know that it is good to use.
  3. Add more lemon zest than suggested if you prefer a tangy bake.
  4. The oil replaces the butter in this recipe. It serves the same purpose as the butter, creating a soft texture. The only difference is that the cake will not be as rich when oil is used. It is best to use a neutral oil like canola or sunflower so that it does not affect the flavour of the cake.
  5. Use your favourite frosting to decorate the cake. It can be as simple as a dusting of powdered sugar or as elaborate topped with a rich buttercream frosting which I used on my recipe for condensed milk lemon cake For this recipe, I frosted the cake with a simple glaze. The recipe is included if you would like to give it a try.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 44mg | Sugar: 30g | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @thegardeningfoodie or tag #thegardeningfoodie!